


The Night Before

by lil_1337



Series: Morning After [1]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Get Together, Humor, M/M, Mild Angst, Oral Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-31
Updated: 2014-08-31
Packaged: 2018-02-15 12:52:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2229693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337/pseuds/lil_1337
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Quatre is trying to put a bad relationship behind him and Trowa is just trying to help a friend out.  Neither one knows that is going to be the beginning of something important.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Night Before

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Gundam Wing Big Bang.  
> Lovely artwork for this fic can can be found [here](http://shinigami-irae.tumblr.com/post/96244175368/gundam-wing-big-bang)  
> and [here](http://makkura.tumblr.com/post/96315337264/my-submission-for-the-gundam-wing-big-bang-this). Warning: The second link is eplict and NSFW.  
> Please go and check them out!

“Tro, Tro, hey Tro!” Trowa swiveled his head, eyes locking onto Duo who was waving his hand over his head in an attempt to be noticed in the swirling mass of humanity crowding dormitory lobby. Trowa waved back then scrawled his name on the registration forms laid out in from of him on the front desk. He grabbed his keys and the stack of paperwork that was pushed his way without even looking at it before moving away to make room for the person behind him. The key went into his pocket and everything else was shoved haphazardly into the zippered compartment on the front of his suitcase as he made his way towards where his friend and roommate was waiting at the entrance to the hallway that led back to the private areas of the building. When he was within shouting distance Duo pushed off from the wall and moved forward to pull Trowa into a one armed hug that was returned with equal enthusiasm. “You're late. I thought maybe you got sidetracked ogling the freshmen.” 

“I don't like freshmeat, they make me feel like a child molester.” Trowa snorted and rolled his eyes in an exaggerated manner. “I had to finish packing and Cathy kept finding stuff that she thought I needed to take with me _just in case_. I've done this before, you'd think I know what I need by now, but she goes all mother hen when I leave even though she's only half an hour away. ”

“Says the decrepit old junior.” Duo grinned and let go of Trowa, stepping back to survey his friend. “Aw, that's sweet. She loves you. God knows why.” 

“She has to, she's my sister.” Trowa's smile softened then took on a slightly arrogant edge. “Some things get better with age.” He tried for injured dignity, but failed to hide his amusement. “Wine, cheese...” 

“Your skinny ass is not one of those things.” Duo cut Trowa off with a smirk as he waggled his eyebrows. He flashed Trowa an unrepentant grin then picked up a cardboard box wrapped in multicolored strapping tape that was sitting at his feet. “Come on, lets get out of this mess and go find our room.” 

“Amen to that.” Trowa's smile widened and he felt himself relaxing as he always did around Duo. The university had assigned them as roommates when they were freshmen, but the friendship they had built over the year was completely of their own making. Duo's naturally gregarious nature make Trowa feel less awkward around people though there were times when he wondered what the hell Duo got out of the friendship. He'd never quite worked up the courage to ask and he probably never would. It was one of the mysteries of the universe that was better left unsolved. 

“We're on the bottom floor this year, next to our friendly neighborhood R.A.s.” Duo's voice floated back down the hallway to where Trowa was following at a safe distance. He'd learned the hard way that Duo had a tendency to make sudden stops without giving any kind of warning beforehand.

“No shit?” Trowa raised an eyebrow in surprise even though he knew Duo wouldn't be able to see it. Depending on who you talked to being next to the Resident Assistants was either a privilege or a curse. Those that lived for reflected glory tended to see it as a badge of honor while the party boys tried to get as get as far away as possible so that it was easier to sneak in after hours. “Who did you have to blow to get that? Heero Yuy?” Trowa smirked at Duo's back. 

“He wishes.” Duo growled, though the tone of his voice made it pretty clear that while there was indeed some wishing going on and it wasn't necessarily all on Heero's side. There was a pause and in his mind's eye Trowa could see the flash of longing that passed over Duo's features only to be replaced with his usual grin. “I convinced Wufei he could keep a better eye on what we were doing if we were close by.” 

“By us you mean you because I'm a model student and resident who never complains or takes up any of the R.A's precious time.” Trowa's voice was flat, not displaying even a hint of the amusement he was working hard to suppress. 

“True, except you hang out with me and that means guilt by association at least where Wufei is concerned. He's a very suspicious guy.” Duo eased past where a couple of people were studying a bulletin board covered with notices, welcome back fliers, and a poster announcing that Tuesdays were movie nights in the main lounge. Everything looked shiny and new as befitting the beginning of the school year. 

“No one's perfect.” Trowa come to a stop behind Duo who had slowed as he passed room number 121. A plastic plaque on the door announced that it was occupied by Heero Yuy and Wufei Chang, the resident assistants for the dorm as well as their hours of availability and a number that one or both of them could be reached twenty four hours a day in case of emergency. 

Duo came to a complete stop in front of the next room, number123. He checked the number stamped on his key fob against the door plaque then chuckled. “At least it will be easy to remember.” 

“You'll have to come up with another reason to visit our neighbors besides I forgot my room number.” Trowa pulled his key from his pocket and made a cursory check of the number as well. It wouldn't be the first time someone handed out the wrong key in the craziness that was move in day.

“Give me some credit for creativity.” Duo inserted his key and gave it a twist only to have it refuse to move. “I only did that twice last year and I was completely wasted the second time.” 

“I remember. Wufei told me to pin a note on your shirt next time I let you out without supervision when he escorted you up to the room. He did give you points for not puking on his shoes and being able to find the dorm in the first place.” 

“He would.” Duo snorted as he wiggled his key, finally managing to get it to turn with an audible pop. “Well, it looks like our lock sticks. I'll have to report that.” He smirked then pushed the door open with a gentle shove. It swung silently on its hinges and came to a stop half way. Duo ran his hand along the wall searching for the light switch. He flicked it on then moved out of the doorway to give Trowa space to join him. 

“All the locks stick. It's part of the quaint, old world charm that you are paying for.” Trowa slipped past his roommate making a beeline for the bed near the window as the long life fluorescent bulbs began the slow process of waking up and producing light. “But I'm sure Heero will be happy to come over and lubricate it for you.” He smirked over his shoulder, swiveling his hips in a highly suggestive manner, then let his oversized duffelbag slide down his arm onto the bed. The rolling suitcase he had been pulling behind him was parked beside the bed as he dropped onto the naked mattress with a happy sigh. “It's good to be back.” 

Duo snorted then did the same onto his own bed, eyes fixed on the smooth white ceiling. “Looks like my first job this year is to get you a love life so you'll stop obsessing over mine.” 

“You don't have a love life, Duo. Lusting over Heero from afar doesn't count. It has never counted and it will never count.” Trowa's voice held the richness of amused long suffering forbearance. 

“Thank you for proving my point, Tro~wa.” Duo grinned as he scanned the room already making a mental list of the things that were going to need to be fixed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“That's the last of it little brother.” Iria set the box she was carrying down on the kitchen counter and surveyed what she could see of the apartment. The living room was filled with boxes of varying sizes and each one had a room designation written on it in Quatre's flowing print. His years of expensive private school education showed through in the elegant copperplate style that she had not been able to master no matter how hard she tried. She pointedly ignored the way he flinched and the glare that followed her words. He might be twenty one and starting his junior year in college, but as far as Iria was concerned Quatre would always be her sweet little baby brother. Though she knew better than to presume any kind of innocence where he was concerned. She'd learned and relearned that lesson too well to ever forget it. 

“Thanks for helping me unload.” Quatre blew his bangs out of his eyes and smiled. “It would have taken forever to get everything up here by myself.” 

“No problem. I tried to get Allie to help too, but she had a date.” 

Quatre snorted then bent to pick up a box labeled bedroom. “When doesn't she have a date?” 

“You'd be surprised.” Iria's gaze traversed the room again before settling on the disposable coffee cup she had left there when she'd arrived earlier that morning. “Once classes get started she gets pretty focused.” 

“I'll believe it when I see it.” Quatre's voice was light and teasing, but held a warmth and affection that belied the doubt in his words.

Iria chuckled and shook her head, dark blonde waves bouncing around her face. She took a long drink considering the friendly rivalry that had existed between her brother and her best friend for as long as the two had known each other. Allie's happy go lucky approach to life was in direct contrast to Quatre's much more serious world view. Iria took another look around the box strewn room and sighed. Relationships were another area where Allie and Quatre were polar opposites. Allie believed in keeping things fun and uncomplicated while Quatre was in it for the long haul from the very beginning. So far that hadn't worked out very well for him. 

“I like this place better than your last one. It fits you.” Iria tipped her cup in a mockery of a salute before taking another drink. 

A flash of sadness chased by anger skittered across Quatre's face and he looked away for a minute before returning his gaze to his sister. “That's because I picked this one out instead of letting someone's opinions and tastes override mine.” He paused and made a face reminiscent of someone who had bitten into a rotten piece of fruit. Shaking it off his smile returned. “It's clean, close to the side of campus most of my classes are on and it's small enough that it will be easy enough to keep organized. That and it has covered parking for my bike.” 

“Those are all good things.” Iria smiled, nodding her approval. “I have a feeling you are going to be a lot happier here.” 

“I have no doubt of that.” Quatre frowned, reaching for one of several water bottles that were lined up on the counter. “Being in a new place is only one small part of that. Not wasting my time on someone who treats me like a toy he can shelve until he wants something is the major thing. I deserve better than that.” 

“Yes you do.” Iria smiled sadly then moved across the room to pull Quatre into a hug. She set her cup down on one of the boxes and used her now free hand to stroke his hair. “I'm glad you got rid of that jackass. He wasn't even close to being good enough for you.” She tightened her hold on Quatre for a moment before easing off again giving him the space to move away if he wanted to. 

Quatre sighed, leaning into the comfort Iria offered. “I'm mad at myself more than anything. I threw away a year on a relationship that was pointless. I knew things weren't good and I wasn't happy, but I just let it go because I felt bad for him and I didn't want to make waves. I kept hoping he would change. I thought it was just a rough patch and we needed to work through it.” 

“You're a good person, Quatre. You always look for the best in everyone. It's your best quality and your biggest downfall.” 

“The best thing about Darren was his ass and I should have realized that a hell of a lot sooner than I did. I turned a blind eye because it was easier than dealing with conflict. You and Allie were right and I should have listened to you.” He pulled away and slumped against a stack of boxes. “Maybe I'm just not supposed to be in a relationship.”

“You should do what's right for you, not listen to me or anyone else.” Iria frowned, visibly unhappy at the anger and bitterness in Quatre's voice. “You have good instincts, you just need to listen to them.”

“I'm not sure I know what that is right for me.” Quatre sighed, toying with his water bottle. “Maybe I'll just practice celibacy this year and focus on school instead. I've got a pretty heavy course load. I want to improve my chess game too. I still can't beat Dad or Wufei with any kind of regularity.” 

“There's always self abuse if you get desperate.” Iria smirked as a spot of color bloomed on each of Quatre's cheeks and his gaze skittered away from hers. “It's been scientifically proven to help improve sleep and promote overall health.” 

“Thanks for the tip, Iria, but I already knew that.” His eyes flicked back to hers and all sense of embarrassment was lost in the smug grin decorating his face. “That was my favorite hobby when I was sixteen and madly in lust with Mr. Renderman.” 

“Your violin teacher?” Iria choked on a laugh before letting it out completely. “Seriously? He was like thirty years old. I knew you hero worshiped him, but I had no idea you had the hots for him too. This is a side of you I've never seen before.” 

“I did that too.” Quatre smiled, his focus somewhere back in his memory. “He had the most beautiful green eyes. They were so soulful and filled with such passion. I could just drown in them.” He sighed then returned his gaze to Iria. “Why can't I meet someone like him? That would be perfect.” 

“He's married and way too old for you.” Iria nudged Quatre trying to pull him out of the melancholy drift of his thoughts. “Maybe he has a son you could date.” 

Quatre snorted then shook his head. “No such luck. He has a daughter, Maddie, and that's it. Even if I was inclined that way she's a lot younger than I am.” 

“You'll find someone.” Iria reached over and squeezed her brother's shoulder before pulling him back into another hug. “Give yourself time to heal and learn from Darren.” 

“I am and I will.” Quatre muttered into her neck. “I promise. I just wish it would happen faster.”

Iria chuckled though there was sadness in the sound. “To quote dad, patience is a virtue.” 

“I know.” Quatre sighed then pulled away rubbing at his face. “I just really fucking hate being virtuous.” 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Come on, Tro. I'd do it for you. You know I would.” Duo straddled one of the desk chairs, his arms resting across the back. His eyes, always expressive, pleaded for understanding in a way that Trowa had difficulty ignoring. Not that he was about to let Duo know that. There would be no stopping him if he knew how well the puppy eyes worked. 

Trowa snorted, but didn't look up from the textbook that he had been pretending to read for the last half an hour. “Like I'd ever ask you to go to a to a frat party with me.” 

“I would if you did because I'm good like that. Besides, it's not like a regular frat party. It's an engineering frat.” Duo grinned ingratiatingly and added a charming wheedle to his voice. “You don't have to stay long. Just an hour or so until I suss out the situation. You can have a beer and hang out like a normal college student instead of spending all your time studying. I only need you to stick around long enough so that I don't look sad and pathetic or make people think that I'm stalking Heero.” 

“But you are sad, pathetic and stalking Heero. All the self-help books say that you should be true to yourself and not try to be something you aren't. Own your stalker self and learn to love him.” Trowa slammed his book shut and sat up on his bed having come to the conclusion that trying to hide behind it was not working. “You're only going to this party because you saw Heero hanging up the poster. Why don't you skip it and try talking to him instead?” 

“And he said he was going.” Duo was quick to defend his honor. “Plus he said it there would be music, food, and alcohol so it would be right up my alley. That was a hint if I've ever heard one.” He grimaced then sighed. “I've tried that, it doesn't work. I need to get him in a social environment and knock him off his feet with my overwhelming charm.” 

“No doubt, Heero is a master of subtlety.” Even though the comment dripped sarcasm Duo nodded in agreement causing Trowa to shake his head in disgust. “Why don't you just go with him then? He made sure you knew he was going so that's probably what he wants too.” 

Duo's horrified look was answer enough though it didn't stop him from speaking. “That's not how it works, man, it's his party and he brought it up so I can't ask him. He'd have to ask me.” 

“Why not?” Trowa appeared genuinely curious about Duo's reasoning. “You like him, he obviously likes you because you're still alive even though you've made about a hundred nuisance requests and complaints already this year and we're barely three weeks in. 

“There hasn't been that many.” Duo had the decency to blush even if his grin was unrepentant.

“You broke the sink three times in one day.” Trowa raised an eyebrow and gave Duo a withering look.

“I was bored.” Duo sniffed and looked away as a frown began to grow on his features. 

“And horny.” 

“Yeah, that too.” Duo sighed and ran a hand through his bangs. “He was wearing those damn bicycle shorts and his ass looks great in them. I can't resist a man with a nice ass.” 

“Exactly.” Trowa ignored the dark look that Duo shot his way. “So why don't you just ask him to the party? Or skip it and go straight to the 'oh, baby, do me' part? It would solve a lot of problems and I wouldn't have to go all the way down the hall to the bathroom to wash out my socks in the shower when you get bored and horny.”

“You have no romance in your soul.” Duo shook his head, his smile returning like the sun peeking out from behind a cloud. “I can't ask him, I missed the window of opportunity. If I did it now it would just be awkward and weird.” 

“Unlike the rest of your relationship.” 

“Yeah. That's why I really need you to go with me. Come on, Tro.” The wheedle was back along with a healthy dose of charm. “I'll owe you one. A big one. Besides,” his pleading grin morphed into something more wicked and sly. “It's the college of engineering, there are going to be a lot of smart, nerdy guys there. You might meet someone and fall madly in lust.” 

“You're the one into nerdy guys not me.” Despite his initial reluctance to waste an evening at what would no doubt prove to be just another frat party Trowa could feel himself weakening. Getting Duo to actually do something besides moping over Heero would make everyone's lives easier. Not to mention he genuinely liked hanging out with Duo.

“Blonds then. There is bound be at least a few blonds.” Duo's voice took on a hopeful, expectant, edge.

“I do like blonds.” Trowa tried not to cringe at the wistful sound of his voice.

Duo's grin widened as he closed in for the kill. “You might even get laid.” 

“I like getting laid even more than blonds.” Trowa's voice took on a more carnal edge, dropping in timber and tone. “Getting laid by a blond is the best though. I really like it when that happens. It's a convergence of all the best things in life.” 

“Sooo, that means you'll go with me?” Duo looked hopefully. “I'll spot you a beer and be your wing man for the blond of your choice.” 

Trowa sighed, weighing his options and the possible outcomes. As much as he hated to admit it to himself the party was looking more enjoyable than spending the evening at home doing reading for a class he could probably teach. Not that he was going to make it easy for Duo. “Beer, wing man and you have to clean the room for a month.” 

“Done.” Duo didn't even go through the pretense of pretending to consider the offer. Nor did he bother to propose a counteroffer of his own which showed just how much going to the party meant to him. 

“No trying to get out of it later either. I know how you are.” 

“Of course not. Wouldn't dream of it.” Duo's grin belied his attempt at reassurance, but Trowa was surprised to discover that he really didn't care.

“Okay.” Trowa let himself fall back on the bed and closed his eyes. “What time do I need to be ready and what should I wear?” 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Quatre sipped his latte, shifting in his seat to try to shake some of the lethargy out of his limbs. He knew Professor Ellis droned on like white noise and picking a seat that was warmed by the late September sun was probably not the best choice he'd ever made despite being fully caffeinated. His eyelids felt like they each weighed at least a ton. He could feel himself starting to nod off and shifted again, squeezing his eyes shut tightly before forcing them open. According to the clock a grand total of five minutes had passed since the lecture had begun. All around him Quatre could hear the rustle of clothing and snatches of whispered comments. In an effort to keep from falling asleep and face planting into the top of the desk he focused his attention to the conversation behind him in the hopes that it would be more interesting. 

“It's gonna be awesome, dude! Theta Tau has this major blow out every year as a welcome back to school.” 

“Why're they doing it on Thursday? Seems kind of stupid if you ask me. Most of us have to go to class on Friday.” The voice was to Quatre's right and sounded as sleepy as he felt. 

“I don't know.” Quatre could hear the shrug even though he couldn't see it. “The guy I talked to said something about engineering not having classes this Friday. The profs have a conference or some shit. Who cares why as long as there is going to be beer and hotties.”

“Everyone else has Monday off.” There was the slight hint of a put upon whine that made Quatre's fingers tighten on the stylus in his hand. He'd learned the previous year that taking his notes on his tablet was quicker and more efficient than writing them all by hand the way had when he was a freshman.

“Yeah, they get that too.” 

“Lucky bastards.” The whine was more pronounced now, at least to Quatre's ears.

“No shit. Anyway, I went last year and it was a blast. For being serious nerds they know how to throw a party.” 

There was a pause and the sound of a pen scratching on paper followed by the noise of a breath being blown out. “What time does it start?” 

“About seven or so. Probably be rockin' by the time you get out of class. You're out at nine right?” 

“Yeah, I might head over for a little while. I can always use a beer after microeconomics. That class sucks as much ass as this one.” 

“No shit, dude.” 

Quatre sighed and shifted his focus back to the lecture long enough to reassure himself that he was not missing anything. Sadly, he was not so he let his attention wander again. This time he made a concerted effort to ignore the two party boys behind him. Darren had put him off that personality type for a long time. Probably the rest of his life if Quatre was honest with himself. What he had not managed to do, though, was break Quatre. Just the opposite in fact. He had been sad, angry and frustrated with himself when he'd driven home at the end of the previous year, but Quatre had returned with his strength, self-confidence, and sense of humor intact. He was undoubtedly a bit older, wiser, and more cautious, but all things considered Quatre figured that was the cost of a very important lesson about what he did and did not want in a partner and relationship. 

The sound of shuffling papers pulled Quatre from his revelry and he realized with a start that the people around him were putting away books and notebooks in a hurry to get away as quickly as possible. He saved the few notes that he had typed into the writing program and turned off his tablet before shoving it and his book into his back pack. The now empty latte cup went into the garbage can as slid out the door in the middle of the pack of students. Outside, in the main hallway, the sun coming through the large windows made it bright enough to send him scrambling for his sunglasses in the cluttered front pocket of his bag even though he was still inside the building. He slipped them on and blinked as his eyes adjusted to the more comfortable level of light assaulting them. 

“Winner.” 

Quatre spun on his heel, smiling when he spotted a familiar face coming down the hall towards him. “Hey, Wufei. What are you doing around here? I thought you swore you'd never be caught dead in the business school again.” 

Wufei snorted and held up a stack of posters. He wore a roll of strapping tape on his wrist like an oversized bracelet. “Unfortunately, this is the building I was assigned.” 

Quatre tilted his head, his eyes skimming over the large die cut letters glued onto the brightly colored poster board. The words Theta Tau caught his attention and he found himself looking askance at Wufei. “Did you change majors again? I thought literature owned your heart and soul.” 

“It has and to answer your question, no. I agreed to put them up for Heero.” 

“Heero.” Quatre frowned, feeling the familiarity of the name but not able to recall from where. 

“Heero Yuy. The other R.A. in my dorm. Do you have a class right now?” Quatre shook his head, shifting his backpack on his shoulder when it slid. “Good, you can help me put these up. It shouldn't take long. At Quatre's raised eyebrow Wufei smirked. “I'll buy the coffee the next time we play chess. I might even let you win.”

“Is that what it is, you letting me win? I thought it was getting your ass kicked.” Quatre set down his bag, leaning it against the wall and took the top poster from Wufei, holding it in place while Wufei secured it with enough tape that it probably required a building permit for modifying the structure. 

“Of course. I look forward to the day that it actually happens in the real world not just your imagination.” 

“You're too kind.” Quatre's voice dripped with sarcasm as he followed Wufei to where he had decided the next poster should go. 

When the last one was hung Quatre stepped back to admire their work. There were five total, one by each of the main entrance doors and one on each side about halfway down the hallway. The last one was by the stairway that led to the upper floors of the building. 

“Are you going?” Quatre nodded towards where Wufei was adding a final piece of tape to his creation.

“No. I have to be on call since Heero is required to be one of the hosts.” He turned his head, studying Quatre for a moment. When he spoke his voice was softer and lacked its characteristic arrogance. “You should though. Go and see who is out there. It's better than sitting at home or spending way too much time getting beat at chess.” 

Quatre shook his head, a polite smile on his face. “I don't think so. I've pretty much had my fill of parties and the guys who can't stay away from them. Thanks anyway.” 

“You were at plenty last year and that doesn't make you irresponsible or a bad person.” Wufei slipped the tape back onto his wrist and started walking towards the door. “Besides, it is important to find time to relax when you are under a high level of stress.”

“No, just a stupid one who is plenty relaxed, thank you.”

Wufei shook his head, pushed open the exterior door, and held it to let Quatre pass through. “You're far from stupid, Winner, just too damn nice for your own good.” 

“I'm working on that.” Quatre grinned letting it go wicked. “In fact, I have an hour before my next class. What do you say to a game so I can practice being ruthless?” 

Wufei laughed, the concern falling from him like a discarded coat on a warm Spring day. “Bring it.” 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“One pear cider for the weirdo.” 

Trowa nodded his thanks and took the bottle graciously, running his thumb through the layer of condensation to check the label before taking a drink. “I must not be the only weirdo if you found it.” 

Duo snorted and took a sip of his beer. Nervous energy seemed to pour off him as he bounced unconsciously to heavy beat of the song flowing from the speakers. “Have you seen Heero yet?” His voice was pitched low despite the music reverberating around them. “He wasn't at the bar or in the other room.”

“I'm sure he's around here somewhere. Did you ask the bartender?” 

“No! That would be so uncool. I'm trying not to look pathetic and stalkerish remember?” Duo's eyes scanned the room, nervously checking to see if the conversation had been overheard. 

Heaving a sigh Trowa took another drink from his bottle as he mirrored Duo and let his eyes roam over the people surrounding them in search of Heero. Unfortunately, though, he had as little luck as his roommate in spotting their errant R.A.. Trowa had just opened his mouth to make a comment when he spotted a young man with bleached blond hair and a set of shoulders that belonged on a professional linebacker making his way through the crowd toward them. The words Theta Tau were embroidered in black letters on the crisp yellow polo shirt he wore identifying him as one of their hosts. Ignoring Duo's look of dawning horror Trowa shifted so that he could tap the frat boy on the shoulder. 

“Hey.” He raised his voice, doing his best polite smile when the young man turned towards him. “Have you seen Heero Yuy around here anywhere? We wanted to say hi.” 

The man frowned as if considering the question than slowly shook his head. “Sorry, dude, last time I saw him was an hour or so ago and he was bringing booze up from the basement. Do you want me to text him and let him know you're looking for him?” He was sliding his finger across the touch screen of his phone to unlock it even as he asked.

“Sure.” Trowa shrugged, carefully ignoring the death glare that Duo was sending his way. “That would be great. Thanks.” 

“What's your name?” 

“Trowa.” 

“He'll know who you are?” 

“Yeah.” Trowa's grin took on an evil tint. “I'm one of his residents. He knows me.” 

“Awesome! I'm Travis. Heero said he was hoping some of the guys from the dorm would make it. There was one in particular that he said he invited personally, but I can't remember his name. It was something unusual.” Travis' fingers danced over the screen and he hit send before looking up. “It was short like Dan or Don, but that's not it.” 

“Duo?” Trowa's grin stretched even wider when Duo's eyes widened at the sound of his name though the music kept him from being able to hear the rest of the conversation. 

“Yeah! That's it. Do you know the guy?” Travis looked around hopefully. 

“Yep, he's my roommate.” 

“Cool. Is he here?” 

Trowa nodded, his eyes flicking to Duo and back. 

“Sweet!” Travis' phone vibrated in his hand and he opened the pending text message. “Heero says he's gotta finish up something, but he'll meet you guys over by the pool tables in ten.” 

“Thanks.” Trowa grinned and bumped fists with Travis before he disappeared into the crowd. Despite the fact that he was much more buff than Trowa generally liked he found himself admiring the way Travis' jeans fit his ass. He must have been staring, though he would never admit to it, because he startled when Duo punched him on the shoulder and nodded his head in a way that indicated he would like a full briefing now, thank you very much you traitorous asshole. “We're supposed to meet Heero by the pool tables in ten minutes.” 

“And?” 

“What makes you think there is an and?” Trowa tried for an innocent smile and missed the mark by at least a mile.

“I heard my name, plus you're grinning like the cat that ate the canary. Spill, Barton.” Duo bounced from his heels to his toes and back again like a boxer ready to go a few rounds or a hyperactive child that has just had free rein in a candy store.

“That guy? Travis? He knew that Heero was hoping people from the dorm would come and your name in particular was mentioned.”

Duo froze, a perfect imitation of a deer in the headlights. “Shit, do you think that is a good thing or a bad one?” 

“I'm thinking good, though you never know.” Trowa's grin had morphed into something wolfish and he wrapped an arm around Duo's shoulders to steer him across the room to where four pool tables were arranged in a single line that stretched from wall to wall. “You can ask him when he gets here.” 

“Fuck!” Duo muttered his eyes darting everywhere. “I'm not sure if I love or hate you right now.” 

“Love.” Trowa patted Duo lightly on the shoulder still moving him forward. “You totally love me.” 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Quatre frowned, studying his reflection in the mirror. When had his hair gotten so long? He was in desperate need of a haircut, something to add to his to do list for the weekend, because his bangs flopped into his eyes and made him look a bit like a blond sheepdog. Then again, considering the fact that he was still shorter than most guys he knew maybe he was more of a sandy haired Lhasa Apso. At least his clothes looked good. The shirt was his favorite, a pale blue button down that highlighted his eyes. Normally he wore it paired with either a dark blue or a silver tie, but tonight he had opted to dress down and skip the neck wear completely. His dark blue dress slacks fit him well without making it look like he was trying to draw attention to his assets, which to be honest, he was. He'd even taken the time to polish his loafers until they shone with a deep rich brown of expensive leather. 

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was dressed completely wrong. This was one of the reasons he really hated going to parties. No matter what he wore or how he acted he always felt as if he just didn't fit in. He could hold his own at the opera or entertain his father's friends just fine, but when he was dealing with his own peers it was a completely different story. Growling in frustration he ran his hand through his hair, tugging it to the side, out of his eyes, then turned away from the mirror. Damn Wufei and his challenges and damn himself for rising to the bait even though he knew it was a trap. Two hours, just two damn hours at the Theta Tau party, that was the conditions of the bet and Quatre intended to be out the door in exactly one hundred and twenty minutes.

Grabbing his keys, phone, and wallet from the counter Quatre stalked through the apartment, turning off lights as he went. At the door, hand on the knob to open it, he caught sight of himself in the window and froze. His dress down look was less college student on his way to a frat party and more young executive on the fast track doing business casual. 

“Fuck. Fuck! FUCK!” Quatre yelled trying to drown out Darren's sardonic voice as it echoed in his head. 

_”Jesus, Quatre, you can be so damn prissy sometimes. Even your clothes are uptight.”_

The fact that Quatre knew the context of the comment and that Darren was attempting to manipulate him did nothing for his mood. Toeing off his shoes he kicked one in one direction and its mate the opposite way. The shirt was next to go. It landed in a ball on top of the kitchen table. The pants Quatre left where he stepped out of them as he crossed the living room. Dressed only in a pair of dark blue boxer briefs and socks he slammed open the bottom drawer of his dresser and pulled out of a pair of jeans. They were worn butter soft and fit like a second skin when he pulled them on. From another drawer he jerked out a dark red t shirt with the university's name and logo displayed across the front. He'd bought it his freshman year in a moment of collegiate pride and only worn it once or twice since then. It was a little snug across his chest and shoulders, but not to the point where his movements were constricted. His black converse sneakers were where he had left them next to the bed and he pulled them on, tugging the laces tighter than he needed to. He stopped long enough to fish his wallet, phone and keys out of his slacks before letting them fall back to the ground. 

Outside, Quatre headed towards the covered parking lot that flanked his building before turning and starting off in the other direction. As much as loved riding his motorcycle he couldn't help but think that walking and burning off some of the anger he was feeling was the better option. The evening was cool, but not cold and the Theta Tau house was only a block or so away on the edge of campus. 

The house and the party within were easy to spot as he turned the corner at the four way stop. The building was ablaze with light and a low steady bass beat issued from the open doors and windows. There were people milling around on the front porch; most with bottles or cups in their hands. From the sidewalk he paused to take a picture of the Theta Tau sign which he texted to Wufei along with the words: _I'm here so start your clock._

It was less than a minute before he received a reply. _I have. If I don't hear from you in two hours I'll assume you found someone to practice not being nice with.”_

Quatre snorted then shoved his phone back into his pocket. By his watch it was seven forty five which meant that at nine forty five he would be free to go back to his apartment, order a chicken Alfredo pizza from the Italian place in the nearby strip mall, and settle in for a marathon of his favorite noir films. The Maltese Falcon was first on the list, he decided as he made his way up the steps, followed by the Thin Man series. It felt like a Dashiell Hammett kind of a weekend and Quatre had no intention of fighting the urge. Why should he? His homework was done, his apartment was clean and other than going to his classes tomorrow he could pretty much spend the next few days in his pajamas if he wanted. If fact, he might just do that. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Trowa was amused; totally, completely and on a level that was fast approaching epic. From his vantage point where he was leaning against the wall he had a great view of the pool table where Heero was racking the balls for his second game against Duo. Despite normally being an adept player Duo had lost the previous game badly. So badly, in fact, that Heero had accused Duo of throwing it and demanded a rematch. As far as Trowa was concerned this alone had well been worth the price of admission. Duo's normal air of cool had melted away under Heero's intense gaze and Trowa had been pleased to see that underneath they were equally awkward. It was just that Duo was better at hiding it. 

Heero removed the rack and returned it to its slot on the front of the table. He nodded to Duo offering him the break and Trowa saw more than heard Duo's thanks in reply. Duo twisted the square of chalk on the end of the cue a couple more times before returning it to the edge of the table. Bending slightly at the waist he carefully blew the excess off the tip. Heero blinked once, then twice, his eyes never leaving Duo's lips. As Duo moved towards the table Heero's gaze went with him, tracking his movements like a starving lion with his sight set on a wounded gazelle. 

Pulling his phone out of his jeans pocket Trowa texted Duo, _My work here is done. I'm going back to the dorm._ Without bothering to wait for an answer since one would quite possibly be a long time coming Trowa pushed off from the wall and started working his way through the crowd. Spotting a recycle container to throw his bottle into he swerved to the left away from the door. The smell of alcohol was strong enough to make him gag so backed up and tossed his bottle at the plastic container, smiling smugly when it not only landed in the middle of the bin, but made a satisfying clink of glass on glass.

He turned away just in time to see a dark brown object flying in his direction and about to make contact with his face. Reflexes from years of soccer made him duck and dodge to the side so the bottle skimmed pass, barely missing hitting his temple. Spinning back around, fists clenched and an arm pulled back Trowa came face to face with a horrified looking young man. 

“Shit, shit! I'm so sorry. I didn't see you until I'd already thrown the damn bottle. Are you okay?” 

He looked genuinely upset and Trowa felt his anger drain away. He let his hand fall to his side and nodded. Now that he was no longer acting on instinct he couldn't help, but notice how gorgeous the other young man was. His hair was pale gold in contrast with the deep soulful blue of his eyes. He was slender, but not skinny, with the build of a runner or a swimmer. At first glance he appeared to be decent enough to apologize and take responsibility for what he had done. The way he spoke hinted at intelligence. For a minute Trowa wondered if he hadn't really avoided the bottle after all and was actually flat out on the floor while his 'what I want in a man' checklist ran laps around his libido. 

The young man was staring openly at him now and Trowa ducked his head, letting his bangs obscure part of his face. “Yeah.” He patted himself on the back for managing to get the single word out. “Never even touched me.” 

“I'm glad.” The blond or sex on two legs as Trowa was already starting to think of him held out a hand which Trowa took, shaking it then letting go reluctantly. “My name's Quatre. Quatre Winner. Sorry about the bottle. Can I get you another one to make up for it?” 

“One's my limit. I'm driving.” Trowa mentally smacked his forehead at the disappointed look on Quatre's face. This was the guy Trowa had been looking for, even though he hadn't known it, and he'd just done the equivalent of blowing him off. There was no doubt he was the winner of the social awkward foot in mouth award tonight. 

“Okay. Well I'm sorry. I'm glad you're okay.” 

Quatre looked away and the movement startled Trowa into motion. Without giving himself time to think or over think, as he usually did, he moved to intercept Quatre. Catching his eye Trowa smiled, hoping he looked charming and some not serial killer level of weird. “I could use a coke though. If you really want to.” Realizing that he still hadn't told Quatre his name he mentally slapped his forehead again at the same time offering his hand. This was why he generally tended to avoid social situations. “Trowa Barton.” 

“Yes! Nice to meet you, Trowa.” The smile was back and Trowa couldn't help but return it. Quatre leaned in and Trowa caught a whiff of expensive, spicy, cologne. “I think I saw a cooler with sodas over by the door.” 

Trowa nodded, using it as a cover to grab his nerve and hang onto it. “We could go out on the porch if you want. It's cooler and quieter out there. It's hard to talk here.” He pointed to the ceiling as if the sexually suggestive song currently playing was being piped directly from Heaven.

“That sounds good. You can tell me where you learned to move like that.” Quatre smiled and Trowa thought he could see a flash of something carnal underlying the apparent surface sweetness. As they made their way through the crowd, Quatre leading and Trowa happily following behind where he couldn't help but admire the way Quatre's ass filled out his jeans. That view alone was enough to jack up his heart rate in a very nice way.

The long white ice chest near the front door was filled with a variety of non-alcoholic drinks in both cans and bottles. Quatre selected a coke which he handed to Trowa and a Dr. Pepper for himself then thanked the slender brunette who was guarding it as part of her hostess duties. Behind him Trowa let his eyes drift shameless over Quatre, admiring what he saw. He'd been more than ready to get the hell out of Dodge a couple of minutes ago, but meeting Quatre had changed his mind in a big way. If things worked out the way he was hoping Duo might not be the only one getting lucky tonight. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“So, what's your major?” Trowa laughed, good humor infusing his words. “Sorry, that sounds like a cheesy pick up line doesn't it?” He leaned back against the railing surrounding the porch, his elbows supporting his weight. A cool breeze tugged at his bangs lifting them away from his face. Despite the lower temperature Trowa was enjoying himself. Quatre was a good conversationalist, funny and thoughtful in equal parts. 

“It's right up there with what's your sign.” Quatre chuckled, his cheeks pinking a little in way that had earned him more teasing from Iria than he could count. “Music and business, double major. One for my father and one for myself.” He paused then grinned wickedly. “Capricorn.” 

“Virgo, but don't let that fool you.” Trowa's smile widened and took on a diamond sharp edge that left no doubt as to what he meant. He tilted his head slightly running his eyes up and down Quatre in a blatantly appraising manner. “I don't think you'd be easy to fool unless you wanted to be.” 

Quatre snorted, but didn't bother to argue the point. He was enjoying himself too much to do anything to bring down the mood. He was starting to see the appeal of this casual flirting stuff. It was a hell of an ego boost to have someone look at him the way Trowa was. Especially someone with beautiful green eyes and a wicked smile that turned Quatre's bones into jelly. “You know what they say, fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.” 

Raising an eyebrow, Trowa let the amusement show on his face. “What if I fool you three times?” There was a challenge in his voice that held more than a hint of lust. 

“Well...” Quatre pursed his lips and frowned as if he was working through a tough question that required all of his concentration. He watched, an innocent smile dancing on his lips until Trowa raised his soda to take a drink then answered sweetly. “I guess I'd have to rise to the occasion and see what I could come up with.”

Trowa's eyes widened and he inhaled sharply sucking in air and Coke. He coughed, blinking rapidly as the liquid worked its way out of his lungs. Between coughs Trowa set his can on the floor as he tried to catch his breath. “Damn it. Warn a guy.” Trowa's voice was husky from coughing, but the fire burning in his eyes had nothing to do with oxygen deprivation. At least not the kind brought on by accidental liquid inhalation.

“But this way I win.” Quatre smirked looking smugly pleased with himself. He set his soda down next to Trowa's and rocked back onto his heels eyeing Trowa with a thoughtful look. “The question is what do I win?” 

“A test drive.” Trowa hooked his index fingers through Quatre's belt loops and tugged pulling him close in a way that Quatre could have easily disentangled himself from if he so chose. Quatre moved forward eagerly until he was flush against Trowa then tilted his head back to allow for more access. As Trowa's lips touched his he made the sound of an engine reving that was cut off by a firm press of lips against his. 

The kiss was far from light, but surprisingly gentle and Quatre moved closer to wrap his arms around Trowa's neck. After a moment of exploration firm began to morph into demanding and gentle into promises of things that involved more than lips and tongues. When Quatre finally pulled back, letting the kiss end naturally, he was breathing heavily and a wicked smile was dancing on his face. He let one hand slide down Trowa's back to cup his ass. “Nice bumpers.” 

“Wait until you see what's under the hood.” Trowa laughed then ducked his head to capture Quatre's lips again. His fingers pulled loose of the belt loops and moved to encircle Quatre's waist pulling him back so that he was pressed against Trowa's body. Using one hand to keep him in place Trowa worked his other up under the light material of Quatre's shirt, splaying it out on his lower back. Quatre whimpered at the feel of skin on skin and pressed back into Trowa's touch then forward into the solid body in front of him. 

With a groan Quatre pulled back breaking the kiss then diving back in with a ferocity he didn't know he had possessed. He was feeling overstimulated and reckless in a way that made him want to do something crazy for once. Forcing himself to focus before all of his higher thought processes completely short circuited and he ended up doing something he would regret later he broke the kiss and stepped back. Trowa made a whimpering noise of protest, but did not attempt to block his escape. 

“I...” Quatre took a long slow breath then another in an attempt to clear his mind. It however, refused to move past the visual of Trowa with kiss swollen lips and completely blown pupils. He looked thoroughly debauched and Quatre couldn't help but feel more than a little smug that this was his handy work. “I...We need to stop.” He took another deep breath then hurried on, not giving himself time to over think things for once. There would be time for that later. Here and now he was going to let his hormones off the leash for once and see where they led. “Here. We need to stop here or it is going to get embarrassing. At least for me.” 

The shuttered mask that slipped down over Trowa's features melted away and he pulled Quatre back against him. He wrapped his arms back around Quatre's waist and held him loosely giving them both a chance to calm down while still enjoying the sensation of being close. When they were both breathing somewhat normally again he ducked his head and kissed Quatre again letting his lips linger before kissing a path back to Quatre's ear. He nipped the lobe then whispered. “Where do you want to go? I live in the dorm, but we leave now we can probably beat my roommate back.” 

Quatre groaned softly, shivering at the brush of Trowa's breath on his neck and ear, and clenched his eyes forcing his mind out of his boxer briefs and back into reality for just a moment. “I have my own place. We can go there.” 

Trowa chuckled and the vibration resonated in the pit of Quatre's stomach. “Good, let's go. Where did you park? I'm about half way down the block.” 

“I didn't.” Quatre shook his head. “I walked, it's close.” 

“That’s even better.” Trowa stepped away then offered Quatre his hand. Smiling and still more than a little breathless, Quatre laced their fingers together and started for the stairs pulling Trowa eagerly behind him. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The back of Quatre's head hit the door with a thud and he moaned, burying his fingers in Trowa's hair and tugging. A wordless sound of pleasure and encouragement slipped out from between his slightly parted lips as he fought to keep his eyes open. From his position kneeling in front of Quatre, Trowa had a great view of the effect he was having. If he hadn't already been pretty damn aroused the noises that Quatre was making would have been more than enough to do the trick. 

 

Of course, the eager way he was thrusting into Trowa's mouth was a hell of a turn on too. Enthusiasm and being there in the moment were two things that really got Trowa going and right now he was gone in a very big way. The buzz of pleasure was singing in his veins and the heavy sense of need was pooling in his groin. He shifted slightly, using the movement to take Quatre down a little farther, so he could rub a hand over his cock. The friction made his breath stutter just a bit and the vibrations resonated up to draw another wanton moan from Quatre. 

Trowa shivered. He and Quatre were on a pleasure feedback loop that was taking both of them closer to edge in giant leaps. He wasn't surprised when a moment later Quatre's fingers tightened their hold and he shuddered, stiffening as he came. Bracing his hands on Quatre's hips to ground him Trowa gave a final swallow then pulled off, licking his way up Quatre's cock as he did. Rocking back on his heels he looked up at Quatre, taking in the way his t shirt was shoved up to his arm pits showing off sex blushed skin that covered a well-toned chest and abdomen. His jeans were open and riding low on his hips leaving just enough room to free his cock, which now hung sated and flaccid, shiny with Trowa's saliva.

It was Quatre's face, though, that caught and held Trowa's attention. He was breathing heavily through parted lips that had were red and swollen from being kissed. His cheeks were suffused with color and his heavy lidded eyes promised many and varied carnal pleasures which Trowa wanted to experience. All of them. Carefully, he stood, sliding his hands up from Quatre's hips to help keep him upright. When he was on his feet he pulled Quatre close, kissing him firmly but gently. 

“Give me a minute to get my brain working again and then I'm going to take you to bed and show you how much I enjoyed that.” Quatre let his head fall forward to rest on Trowa's shoulder, his chest rising and falling as he took a long deep breath then let it stutter back out.

“I like that plan.” Trowa smiled in response, running a hand in slow calming circles on Quatre's back. “I like it a lot.”

After a moment Quatre hitched up his pants and tucked himself back in his underwear leaving his jeans unzipped. Grinning wickedly, he kissed Trowa hard then pulled away, taking him by the hand. He started across the room only to be yanked to a stop when Trowa paused, looking pointedly at the balled up shirt still on the table when Quatre had left it. 

Trowa let go of Quatre's hand and picked it up, shaking it out so he could see it more clearly. “I see you've done this before. Here I thought you looked so sweet and innocent.” 

Quatre snorted and made a grab for the shirt, missing by mere millimeters when Trowa pulled it away at the last minute. “That was not a hook up, it was a temper tantrum.” 

“Really? Now I'm intrigued.” Trowa grinned using one hand to carefully smooth out some of the wrinkles. 

“It's not that interesting. I promise.” Quatre made another grab for the shirt which Trowa dodged easily. “I like this color.” He held it up to Quatre's face and nodded approvingly. “It's great with your eyes, really makes them stand out.” 

“That's why it's my favorite.” Quatre tugged the shirt from Trowa's grasp and set it back on the table. “I decided it was too dressy to wear to the party.” 

“I don't know.” Trowa stepped into Quatre's personal space and pulled Quatre to him. “I bet you clean up nicely.” He ducked his head and nuzzled at the soft skin where Quatre's neck joined his shoulder. “I like what you're wearing now, but I bet a button down and loafers would be hot too.” 

Quatre snorted then let his head roll to the side to give Trowa more skin to explore. When he spoke his voice had a breathy quality to it that it had been lacking before. “With or without the slacks?” 

Trowa's smirk widened as he appeared to consider the question. “With, at least at first, that way I can take them off. You are a lot of fun to undress.” 

“I'll add that to my to do list.” Quatre grinned. “But for right now I have a few things that I need to scratch off first.” 

“Such as?” Trowa gave ground as Quatre pressed against him moving them back to where the bedroom door stood open.

“Well, I've been told that I'm very methodical so I figured I would start with getting you out of those clothes then move onto making you scream my name.” 

Trowa swallowed hard and both his breathing and his feet sped up a little. “Then what?” 

“After you've recovered I was thinking we could do it all over again.” Quatre ran his eyes blatantly over Trowa, letting his approval and his arousal show.

“You have a high opinion of my stamina.” Trowa grinned and leaned in to steal a kiss. “For all you know I'm one and done.” 

Quatre chuckled, the sound deep and rich with self-confidence. “I've also been told that I know how to motivate people. I'm sure we can work something out.” 

“I can believe that.” Trowa swallowed, pulling Quatre flush with him as he crossed the threshold of the bedroom. “Though I hate to take anyone else's word for these things. I'd much rather find out for myself.”

“Oh, you will, Trowa.” Quatre's grin smoldered with promise. “You definitely will.” 

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Trowa took a deep shuttering breath then let it out slowly trying to regulate his breathing and heart rate so that they would return back to something even remotely resembling normal. Next to him he could hear Quatre struggling to the same. Midnight had come and gone in a haze of pleasure soaked sensations. They were currently on round three or maybe four if you counted the blow job he had given Quatre before they'd even made it to the bedroom. He was exhausted, sore and completely blissed out to the point that he wasn't sure if he could rouse himself if the place collapsed around him. Not even Quatre's incredibly talented fingers and lips were going to be able to get him going again. No matter what his brain might want his body was done, at least for the time being. 

This brought up a new issue, one that Trowa hadn't given any thought to until this very moment. In past when he'd hooked up with someone there had been the unspoken agreement that once the deed was done they would part ways. The problem was that Trowa wasn't sure if this was a one time thing or the beginning of something more involved. Quatre didn't strike him as a one night stand kind of guy, but then he had been wrong about people before. 

Beside him he felt Quatre shift, throwing a leg over Trowa's followed by an arm across his chest. Warm breath huffed against his neck sending shivers down Trowa's spine and derailing his train of thought for a moment. Gently he carded his fingers into Quatre's sweat and sex matted hair, musing about how it still felt soft despite the work out they'd just had. This tidbit of knowledge was way more endearing that Trowa expected it to be. In fact there were a lot of things about Quatre that he found attractive in a more than fuck buddy kind of way. In general Trowa was not the kind to fall hard and fast, but Quatre might just be the exception to that rule. 

The give and take of the banter they'd shared and the way that Quatre seemed to enjoy giving pleasure as much as receiving it said he wasn't selfish or self-involved, at least in bed and that was a good start. What little bit Trowa had seen of the apartment had been clean and organized though not obsessively so. The bathroom had the usual hygiene products without being excessive and kitchen had actual food in the fridge, not just beer and take out containers. That told him Quatre was a serious student which was something Trowa related to in a big way. In fact, that was one of the things that Trowa liked about Duo, despite his flippant attitude and tendency to go out of his way to seek out social activities. When it came to academics he had a laser tight focus. Even his ongoing obsessive crush on Heero Yuy had not made him take his eyes off of his goal of becoming a doctor. Trowa admired him for that, though. 

So, sorting his thoughts into a logical understanding of why he was feeling the way he was did nothing for helping Trowa decide what it was he should do with the problem at hand. Should he stay or go? Go or stay? Should he ask or was that tacky? Needy? It was Quatre's place so as the host was it his job to make an invitation? Trowa chewed on his lip contemplating the possibilities. They probably should have discussed this before, but neither one of them had been thinking about much beyond getting into each other's pants. Higher reasoning had short circuited long before they'd gotten back to Quatre's place. 

Trowa shifted slightly and the arm around his chest tighten then relaxed again. Well, that was interesting. Was it Quatre's way of saying that he didn't want Trowa to go or was it a subconscious reaction? Cathy liked to hold onto things when she slept and it was possible that Quatre was the same way. Maybe Trowa was just a substitute for the pillow that Quatre usually slept with. Or maybe it was something else. 

Without warning, a jaw stretching yawn escaped from Trowa and he shook his head feeling the exhaustion from the night's activities starting to make itself known. He needed to decide soon or he was going to either fall asleep or be too tired to drive back to the dorm. He rolled his head on the pillow in an attempt to get a glimpse of the clock, but it was blocked by Quatre's shoulder. Lifting up to see over the barricade was not going to happen unless he wanted to disturb Quatre and that idea held absolutely no appeal at all. Plus, if Trowa was honest with himself, he was enjoying this part as much as the sex. That came as quite a surprise given that Trowa had tried to avoid post coital cuddling in the past, being more of a clean up and go kind of a guy. 

Coming to a decision he opened his mouth to speak then shut it. Clearing his throat he tried again, but anything refused to come out. This was turning out to be surprisingly more difficult than Trowa had anticipated. He considered himself a pretty straight forward guy and normally had no problem asking questions or saying exactly how he felt once he figured out what that was. Then again, the stakes felt really high this time. Like this could be a pivotal moment in his life. 

Quatre snuggled in closer, adjusting his head on Trowa's shoulder then took a long deep breath. “You're thinking too much.” His voice was deeper and rougher than it had been earlier in the evening. Sleep and sex had roughened it to an edge that sent shivers through Trowa. “You can stay if you want to. I want you to. You should stay. You're tired. 's not safe to drive.” Gently, Quatre patted Trowa on the chest, his hand relaxing as he started to snore softly. 

Trowa chuckled, more amused than he should be. Dipping his head he kissed Quatre softly on the forehead and shifted closer to find the most comfortable position he could. His last thought before sinking into a deep restful sleep was that he could very easily get used to this. All of it.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The alarm woke Quatre, pulling him slowly to awareness as the sound wormed its way into his dreams. Without opening his eyes he rolled to side and brought his hand down on the clock once then twice until it stopped emitting the shrill beep that signaled it was time to get up. Mumbling under his breath he snuggled closer to the solid warmth next to him. Apparently Trowa had taken him up on the offer to stay the night. That was good, very good. Feeling safe and comfortable he drifted back into sleep.

Fifteen minutes later the alarm sounded again pulling Quatre back to consciousness once more. He fumbled around searching for the button that would turn it off not just delay the inevitable for another round of snoozing. This time when blessed silence returned he was too awake to easily slip back into sleep. Cursing his family's tendency to produce early risers he shifted so that he was curled around Trowa's back and planted a soft kiss at the base of his neck. The skin had an undertone of salt and musk and Quatre grinned remembering the reasons why that was. 

He considered waking Trowa and renewing the memories of last night, but something tugged at him, reminding him that he had classes that he couldn't skip out of no matter how much he might want to. In one of them he would be getting the outlines for a major project that would be half his grade and in the other he had a test that he would not be able to make up. Sighing heavily he pulled away, careful not to wake Trowa as he did. There were days when being responsible was the last thing he wanted to do, but it was part of his nature and denying it only made things worse. If there was one thing the previous year had taught him it was that the only way he was going to be happy was if he was true to himself regardless of what anyone else might think.

In a way he was kind of annoyed with himself and the universe that it seemed to think he needed to learn this lesson yet again. Considering the way he had had to stand his ground with his father to be able to major in music as well as business he would have thought that he'd passed this particular test with a respectable grade. But, what did he know? It was a new school year and in many ways he felt like he was a new person. So, he would accept the reminder and move on. 

Quatre stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind him before flicking on the light. He turned on the water, adjusting the hot and cold until it was the perfect temperature before stepping in. The spray from the shower head beat down on him, massaging and easing the morning stiffness as well as removing some of the stickiness. While he had definitely enjoyed getting dirty there was something very soul satisfying about being clean. 

He soaped up a washcloth and began to scrub, letting his thoughts drift back to where they had wandered before; Trowa. The invitation to come back to Quatre's place had been born of pure impulse, something that was rare in Quatre's life. He had no regrets about his decision except that he'd had to get out of bed this morning way before he'd wanted to. Trowa had been great, wonderful even. His focus on giving Quatre pleasure as well as making sure that everything he did was within Quatre's comfort level put him head and shoulders above anyone else that Quatre had been with. When it came to shoulders, Trowa had an amazing set that Quatre could see himself nibbling on for a good long time. 

The question was if they were as compatible outside of the bedroom. So far all signs pointed to yes, but Quatre had been fooled before. This time, though, he would be going in experienced and with his eyes wide open. Still, he had no idea how Trowa felt about the whole thing. It was possible he was just in it for a good time. If that was the case then, Quatre decided, he would not pressure him. If they were not on the same page about pursuing more than a one night stand than it was pointless and would only end in tears. Frankly, he'd cried enough to last a lifetime. 

Either way, Quatre had to admit, this had been a good experience. He felt more confident and attractive than he had in a long time. Possibly, ever. There was something freeing in knowing that someone you thought was incredibly desirable thought the same thing about you. 

Quatre smiled, tilting his head back so the hot water could wet his hair as well as wash the soap from his now clean body. He'd always loved long showers, but usually limited himself to short, utilitarian ones due to time constraints and a built in belief that indulging himself was somehow wrong. He wasn't sure where that had come from to be honest. His father expected him to work hard, but he'd always been well rewarded and encouraged to pursue the things that interested him. Somewhere along the line Quatre had taken the idea of service to others to mean that he deserved nothing for himself. That was something he would need to think about later.

With quick efficient movements he washed and conditioned his hair before turning off the water. He had a lot to think about and right now he needed to get his thoughts focused on school. The other would wait until he had some time to really mull it over. It might even be something to discuss with Wufei over their next chess game. He was good at separating logic from emotion to discern the truth. That and from he had seen last night Trowa was a good listener. He really heard the things that Quatre had said, not just what he wanted to. Stepping out of the shower Quatre dried himself vigorously , finishing with his hair so it stood up in random peaks. However things played out it promised to be an interesting weekend and the beginning of a new and better era in Quatre's life.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Trowa woke up for the second time feeling warm and comfortable in a way that made it clear he was not in the dorm in his own bed. Slowly, as he blinked himself into full awareness, he remembered where he was. With a sigh he snuggled back down, pleased that he had not gotten up and left when he woken up earlier. He should have felt bad about skipping class, but really he couldn't work himself up to it. Not that he would have been able to get out of bed without cutting off his own leg, he rationalized, not with the way that Quatre had wrapped it up between his own. It had been nice to be irresponsible for once and just go back to sleep instead of doing the right thing and hauling his ass to class. Considering it was a Friday leading into a long weekend he seriously doubted that there was going to be a big turn out anyway. 

In fact, he was planning to spend the weekend pretty much the same way he had last night. That was if Quatre was amenable to the idea and Trowa had a feeling that he would be. After all not only had he not kicked Trowa out when he left for class. He vaguely remembered a smoldering kiss and promising to stay put until Quatre got home. Though, Trowa shifted feeling the discomfort of dried bodily fluids on his skin for the first time, he should probably shower and eat at some point. His stomach rumbled and made the decision about which was the highest priority. 

He slid carefully out of bed, stretching and reveling in the slight soreness of his muscles. He'd worked hard to earn that stiffness and it carried with it a lot of very satisfying memories. It took him a minute to find where he had left his jeans as he didn't really remember taking them off so much as letting them lie where they fell. He picked them up and carried them to the bathroom, tossing them onto the counter so that he could do a quick clean up before getting dressed. 

Sponge bath completed and now semi-clothed Trowa padded out to the kitchen and took a long look around. On the counter was a single piece of notebook paper folded over with his name in large block letters on the front. He unfolded and flattened it on the counter to make it easier to read. The writing was neat and written in an old fashioned style.

_Trowa,_

_I hope you slept well. You're welcome to anything in the kitchen if you're hungry. If you'd rather order something there are menus in the drawer by the stove for most of the places that deliver in this area. The address is 1414 E. 6th street Apartment 2-B. There's $20.00 on the refrigerator. If that is not enough let me know when I get back and I can reimburse you. The coffee and filters are in the cabinet over the coffeemaker. Sugar is in the blue canister next to it. If you need to call me my cell number is 526-3344. I'll be in class most of the morning so texting would probably be better. The remote for the TV is on top of it and there is a bookcase in the living room if you would rather read. Relax, enjoy yourself and I will be home by 11:30 or so._

_I had a good time last night. I hope you did too._

_Quatre_

Trowa set the note back down, a small smile turning up the corners of his mouth. Pulling his phone out of the pocket of his jeans he added Quatre's number to his contact list, checking the digits twice to make sure that he had entered them correctly. Well, that answered the question about whether Quatre expected him to be gone when he got back. There was indeed twenty dollars stuck to the refrigerator with a magnet in the shape of a violin. The words ' World's Best Brother' were written across the ceramic in graceful gold script. 

Underneath the money was a picture of Quatre and a blonde haired woman who, judging from the similarities in their features, was most likely his sister. Their arms were slung across each other's shoulders and they were smiling widely for the camera. The woman was dressed in a graduation gown with a cap on her head and Quatre appeared to be wearing a suit and tie. Trowa's grin widened as he put the money back in place and returned the magnet to where it had been. From what he could see he'd been right about Quatre cleaning up nicely. He really hoped that he would get a chance to see it in person at some point.

The coffee and filters were where Quatre had said they would be and Trowa started a pot brewing before turning his attention to breakfast. He found the makings for scrambled eggs and toast without looking too hard. Simple and filling fit his personal philosophy when it came to food, especially food he had to cook. By the time his meal was ready he'd worked his way through his first mug of coffee, savoring the rich dark roast. It made the stuff the cafeteria served taste like dirty water. Not that it took a lot to do that. Trowa was a big fan of food in general and would eat just about anything, but that didn't mean he couldn't tell the difference between what was good and what wasn't. If anything, eating a lot of mass produced cafeteria food had honed his ability to discern between the two. 

With his plate in one hand and a second cup of coffee in the other he made his way into the living room. The coffee table was mostly empty except for a stack of DVDs, a blue glazed coaster and a book on famous chess masters. Between bites of scrambled egg Trowa perused the movies, pleased to find that most of them were older mystery and suspense with a few heist movies interspersed here and there. He was a fan of mysteries and noir in particular and it made him happy to see that he and Quatre had more in common than an older sister and raging hormones. Heist movies he could take or leave though the ones that Quatre had were the better ones in that particular genre. 

Breakfast finished he took his dirty plate and mug into the kitchen. After rinsing them and his fork he put them in the dish washer, adding the pan, spatula and knife he had used to prepare his breakfast. Since it was barely half filled even with his additions he left it to run later. Now that his stomach was happy he decided it was time to shower. A glance at the clock told him Quatre would be back in about forty five minutes and Trowa intended to be getting dirty again in about fifty. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“You're smiling. Either you had a really good class, which I doubt, or the party last night wasn't as bad as you thought it would be.” Wufei pushed away from the where he had been leaning against the glass wall across from the door to Quatre's classroom. They often met for lunch and a game of chess on Fridays so Quatre wasn't completely surprised to see him. When Wufei fell in step beside him Quatre gave him a sideways grin and kept walking.

“What makes you think it has to be one of those two? Maybe I'm just happy to be alive on this wonderful fall day. The trees are changing color, there is a brisk chill in the air and everywhere young men and women are going about the business of learning new and exciting things.” Quatre let his grin widen and soften so for a moment he looked like the perfect innocent school boy rejoicing in his surroundings. 

“I know you too well to fall for that, Quatre.” Wufei snorted, not hiding his amusement or disbelief. “Besides, you didn't text me when you left the party last night so per our agreement that means you met someone and were too distracted.” 

“Maybe a little.” Quatre conceded, his features softening then morphing into a smirk. “I'd meant to and then I got side tracked.” 

“So, you did meet someone interesting then?” Wufei smiled, the severe expression on his face softening into something gentler and kinder. “I was hoping that was the case.”

Quatre nodded. “I did, actually. Much to my surprise.” 

“Good. Will you be seeing him again?” Wufei ignored the look Quatre shot his way not the least bit intimidated by it. “Because that smile has not seen the light of day in far too long.” 

A pale pink blush spread over Quatre's features and he ducked his head for a second. He paused mid step and when he lifted it back up his face was alight with an evil grin that was matched by the mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “In a couple of minutes actually. Less, if the traffic is in my favor.” 

“Meeting for lunch?” Wufei nodded his approval. “That's a good place to start. A very non-committal first date.” 

“I'm sure food will be involved at some point.” Quatre started off again, quickening his pace. “But it probably won't be for a couple of hours. Not until we've both worked up a really good appetite.” 

“Quatre.” There was a tone to Wufei's voice that usually brought forth information like iron filings to a magnet, but Quatre kept walking, his lips pressed tightly together to keep the words from spilling out. Wufei picked up his pace so that once again he was walking side by side with Quatre. “Is there something that you want to tell me?” 

“Not really.” Quatre sighed though he appeared to be less remorseful and more smug. “Though I suppose you are going to try to drag it out of me and since I have somewhere that I promised to be in...” Quatre flicked his wrist to check his watch then let his arm drop back to his side.”...ten minutes I'll share. But we have to walk and talk.”

“I can't wait to hear.” Wufei's tone was as dry as the winds off the Sahara desert. Though the look of affectionate bemusement did not slip. 

“You're right, I did meet someone at the party last night. He is incredibly hot with gorgeous green eyes and shoulders to die for. We started talking after I almost hit him in the head with a bottle and we just clicked.” Quatre paused, licked his lips and gave Wufei a look out of the corner of his eye. “Long story short, I took him back to my place.” His gaze flicked back to Wufei taking in his stunned look before continuing. “When I left this morning he was still sound asleep and if the universe decides to be kind to me just this once he will still be there when I get home. He said he would be, but he was half asleep at the time so who knows if he really meant it or not.” 

Wufei stopped in his tracks, blinking several times before jogging to catch up. “That was not what I expected, but I'm pleased for you.” He paused, his voice dropping in timber and volume. “You'll be careful? I would hate to see you get hurt.” The 'again' hung in the air between them, unspoken, but acknowledged by both of them. 

“I will. I am.” Quatre smiled, stopping long enough to pull Wufei into a one armed hug. “I don't know how this is going to play out, but I have no intention of repeating my last mistake. As bad as that was I learned a lot about myself from it. You're just going to have to trust that I know what I'm doing.” 

“I do, my friend.” Wufei hugged Quatre back then pulled away. Shoving his hands in the pockets of his slacks, he rocked back on his heels. “When will I be meeting this incredibly hot mystery man of yours?” 

“When I'm sure this is going to be more just a weekend and that your shovel speech isn't going to send him running for the hills.” Quatre shifted his backpack settling it into a more comfortable position. 

“Well, if he scares that easily then you are not meant to be together. I've seen you when you are determined to win and it can be quite intimidating.” Wufei laughed as he made to turn down the path that ran perpendicular to the one they had been walking on. “Remember, faint heart never won fair...” He caught himself at the last moment, smirking at Quatre's raised eyebrow. “...mister?” He repeated it again, this time with more confidence. “Faint heart never won fair mister.” 

Quatre laughed, shaking his head in amusement. ”I'll keep that in mind. All of it.” With a final wave he turned, heading off in the direction of his apartment at a pace that was much quicker than his usual fast stroll.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Trowa wrapped a towel around his waist then pulled another from the rack and began to dry his hair. He pulled away the towel and shook his head, laughing as his bangs fell heavily across his face. It felt good to be clean and despite being alone in someone else's apartment he was strangely comfortable and relaxed. It probably should have been unsettling, but it wasn't. Just the opposite in fact. That alone was doing weird things to Trowa's head. He should have been taking advantage of the chance to get out and go, but instead he found himself looking forward to Quatre's return. 

Pondering this thought he parted and began combing his hair. Next to him on the counter his phone buzzed then skittered toward the sink as it vibrated. Comb still in hand he scooped it up, pressing accept as he did. 

“Hey, Tro.” Duo's voice came through the speaker before Trowa had a chance to speak. 

“Duo.” Trowa snugged the phone between his ear and shoulder so that he could resume working on his hair. 

“Thanks for letting me have the room last night. I owe you one, buddy.” Duo's normally upbeat tone had a layer of genuine happiness that brought a smile to Trowa's face. 

“No problem. Did you get Heero to put his balls in your corner pocket?” 

Duo snorted then coughed out a laugh. “No, but I did buff his cue for him.” 

“Does this mean you are done with worshiping him from afar?” Trowa set down the comb and loosened the towel from around his waist. He added it to the rack on the wall then bent to retrieve his underwear from where he had dropped it on the floor when he'd come in. 

“Yeah.” With a smirk that could be heard in his voice Duo continued. “From now on I'm going to be worshiping him from a close.” 

Trowa groaned then laughed. “That was horrible.” 

“Yep.” Duo laughed then sobered. “Are you at Cathy's? Tell her I said hi and thanks for putting you up.” 

“No.” Trowa pulled up his jeans, zipping them as he shook his head even though Duo wouldn't be able to see it. 

“No, you won't tell her I said thank you? That's rude, Tro.” Confusion and surprise melded together in Duo's voice. 

“No, I didn't stay at Cathy's last night. Hold on a sec.” Trowa set down the phone long enough to pull his shirt on then picked it up, cradling it back against his ear. “Sorry, I was getting dressed.” 

There was silence on the other end and Trowa pulled the phone back to check that he had not accidentally disconnected the call. Hesitantly he spoke, “Duo? You still there?” 

“Yeah.” Duo's voice was quiet, all the bravado gone. “Where did you go last night? Please tell me you didn't sleep in your car.” 

“I didn't sleep in my car, Duo. I haven't done that since Freshman year after you bitched me out.” 

There was the sound of Duo blowing out a breath and the cheerfulness returned to his voice. “So where did you spend the night?”

“With a friend.” Trowa checked to make sure he had left the bathroom as neatly as he had found it then padded barefoot out into the hall. 

“Would this friend be a boy?” The curiosity in Duo's voice was thinly disguised much to Trowa's amusement. “Have you been holding out on me?” 

“No, but he would be a man and I only met him last night.” 

Duo's laughter rumbled through the phone and Trowa joined in, feeling good. “My little Tro is all grown up and having hook ups. I'm so proud.” There was a pause and Trowa heard the sound of swallowing as Duo took a drink of something, probably his ever present bottle of Mountain Dew. “He's blond isn't he?” 

“Of course. Blond, gorgeous, smart, funny and wicked in bed. Plus he likes old noir movies.” Trowa let the smugness he was feeling suffuse his words. 

“So, I shouldn't be expecting to see you any time soon?” There was happiness in Duo's tone as well as a hopeful undertone that hinted he would be willing to put having the room to himself for a few days to good use.

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Trowa flopped onto the couch, butterflies suddenly blooming in his stomach as if saying the words made them real. “I like this guy, Duo. I think he likes me too. At least I hope he does.” 

“What's not to like, buddy? Besides the hair and the antisocial personality.” 

“Exactly.” Duo's confidence buoyed up Trowa's spirits and he nodded. “He's gonna be home soon so I need to go. I'll text before I head back to the room so I don't interrupt anything. 

Duo laughed, his good humor infusing his words. “Okay. Good luck, Tro. I'm rooting for you.” 

“Thanks. You too.” After a pause Trowa added. “Don't have sex on my bed.” 

“Can't promise that, but I'll do my best.” 

Trowa hit end with Duo's laughter still ringing in his ears. He did like Quatre and now that he had said it to Duo there was no going back on it or trying to tell himself that he didn't care if this was just a weekend fling. He was going to have to find a way to let Quatre know that he was interested in seeing if this could somewhere. Chewing his bottom lip he got up and went to the bookcase. Hopefully Quatre was a fan of Dashiell Hammet as an author too because right now he really needed something to distract himself with and great chess masters was not going to cut it. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I was wondering.” Trowa shifted his hand from where it was resting on Quatre's hip so that he could work his fingers up under the hem of his shirt. “Actually, I was thinking...” His words faded out and he sighed. “Never mind.” Returning his focus to the television screen he splayed his hand out on Quatre's stomach enjoying the warmth of his skin. 

Frowning, Quatre picked the remote up from the coffee table and paused the movie before sitting up from where he had been lying with his head in Trowa's lap. Concern and apprehension radiated off him as he studied Trowa's face in an attempt to determine what was wrong. “What were you going to say?” 

“Tomorrow's Monday.” Trowa blew out a breath, looking everywhere but at Quatre. 

“Yes.” Quatre nodded in agreement waiting for Trowa to continue. He entwined their fingers and gave them a gentle squeeze of encouragement. 

“I have homework and I need to do some laundry. Plus I need to call Cathy at some point.” Trowa stopped, tugging on his bangs. “Duo is going to send out a search party if I don't show up at some point.” 

Again Quatre nodded though the dawning realization of what Trowa was saying showed in the slump of his shoulders. He seemed to shift through Trowa's words, his frown deepening in confusion. “Cathy?” 

“My sister. I usually talk to her every couple of days. The thing is...” Trowa shifted so that he was facing Quatre and leaned in to kiss him before hurrying on. “...there's a midnight showing of Casablanca Friday night at the Little Theater and I was wondering if you wanted to go see it. We could get a pizza before if you want.” 

“Oh.” Quatre blinked several times, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Are you asking me out on a date?” 

“Yeah. If you want to. It's not anything fancy, but the midnight showings are usually pretty cool and the pizza place is really good. Duo and I eat there a lot when there is nothing good in the cafeteria.” Trowa took a deep breath then hurried on, a forced smile on his face. “If this was just a weekend thing I'm okay with that too. Don't feel like you have to if you don't want to go.” He smile stretched awkwardly making it clear that despite offering Quatre an out if he wanted it that was definitely not how Trowa wanted things to go.

“I'd like to.” Quatre chuckled, relaxing against Trowa with a sigh. “I've been lying here trying to think up a way to ask you the same thing, about where we go from here and I just hadn't worked up the courage yet.” He turned slightly and tilted his head up to press his lips to Trowa's. “I wasn't sure if this was just a hook up for you or not.” 

“Not.” Trowa's smile softened and widened. “I don't go home with every guy who tries to hit me in the head with a beer bottle. Just the hot ones and only if I really like them.” 

Quatre blushed, but his grin was anything, but sweet and innocent. “Cider not beer and does that happen to you a lot?” The confidence was back in Quatre's voice and his body language echoed the same. “Having people throw things at your head?” 

“Only when I play soccer and then they usually have better aim.” Trowa's grin morphed into a smirk, his eyes dancing at Quatre's raised eyebrows. 

“Is that a challenge? Because I'd be happy to show you how good my hand eye coordination is.” Quatre let his hand rest on Trowa's thigh, squeezing it firmly as he let his gaze roam brazenly over Trowa's body. “I might even be willing to demonstrate my hand mouth skills.” 

“It is now.” Trowa moaned softly then bent to capture Quatre's lips, pressing him back against the couch as he shifted closer. “Are you up for it?”

“Not yet, but I will be.” Quatre pulled away slowly then began kissing his way down Trowa's jawline to nip at his earlobe. “And so will you. All night long. Unless, of course, you have other plans.” 

“No.” Trowa's breath was speeding up and he rolled his hips against Quatre drawing a needy groan from him. “There's no place else I would rather be.”


End file.
